The Heybridge Railway, 1889 to 1913

[RichardG]

Returning to the chassis to add the brake gear, I have fattened up the rearmost pull rod to make it look more like a forging. This is the original etched part along the middle, with laminations on each side.


I had a horrible thought that I was going to fail at the very end of the build, with no room for the brake pull rods behind the wheels. But the rods are a fraction thinner than the turned-down bosses of the wheel bushes, and I have shoehorned them in, and the middle axle still has all of its sideplay.


I have rearranged the front sand pipes along the way. Amazingly, they did not break off. These are now supporting the brake gear, or perhaps the other way round.


The partially-painted brake gear looked like a patchwork quilt so I have painted everything for this photo.

The wheels do still go round and round, and I have achieved a personal objective in that the brakes look as though they might be able to stop the loco. It has taken quite a lot of effort to do this. I would go for larger gaps for a loco with two-rail electrification.

 

[RichardG]

These are the parts to fix onto the model after painting.

The model ran perfectly at Bury St Edmunds (5th October), but has now developed an intermittent tight spot. This is not periodic; it does not relate to the rotation of the wheels. Rather, it seems to be associated with the rocking front axle. Severity has varied according to whether the model is on the track, held up in the air or held upside down; and whether the motor is running forwards or backwards.

Today, I found one front crankpin here was a little crooked (how?!) and I have straightened this up, and opened up the hole in the associated side rod by about a thou. The tight spot has stopped tripping the ESC in the r/c controller, but a hint of it remains. Perhaps a wheel is touching a brake shoe! I will call a halt for a while, and revisit this with a clear head.


In the meantime, the body and chassis are screwed together and the buffer heads are installed for running on the layout. The safety valve cover is sitting loose for the photo, with a coat of primer to give a hint of that fashionable “printed” look


Still pleased with those coal rails.


Somehow, this view of daylight lifts the whole model. I cannot get this sort of view with a monoblock chassis.




Thank you to everyone for all of your support as this build has gone along.

 

[spikey faz]

Looking good!

I completely agree that the view under the boiler is much better than a 'monoblock'.

Definitely worth coming back to the intermittent running fault at a later date. I had the same thing on my Baldwin build. It started running like a dog. I came back to it with a fresh mind and found one of the hornblocks was catching slightly. It just needed a bit of oil and all was fine. Fingers crossed your issue is something equally simple.

Mike

 

[RichardG]

Fingers crossed your issue is something equally simple.

Yes it was . . . I spent too long looking at the view through the frames

The chassis ran fine; I added brakes; the chassis got notchy. Furthermore, it ran better lifted of the track, and the problem was showing up on some but not all revolutions of the wheels. This axle rocks, and so the location of this wheel relative to the brake shoe depends on microscopic variations in the track. I have teased the brake away from the wheel, fault cleared.

It looks like I blew the electronic speed controller in the MR603 on the last run yesterday. Fortunately every dark cloud has a silver lining, in this case a MR601c I had bought for another project. Connected up, bound straight away, and the controllability and running are even better than they were with the smaller MR603. As a bonus, the MR601c draws less quiescent current from the battery.

The MR601c might fit inside the model, along with the full complement of eight batteries. I may as well leave the investigations until after the model is painted. Then I can glue the power switch into place, tuck the batteries into their spaces and see what space is left. I know the MR603 (smaller) will go in vertically beside the motor.

* massive sigh of relief *

 

[simond]

So, essentially, the brakes were working…

 

[RichardG]

So, essentially, the brakes were working…

Yes somehow I thought Tony @Osgood would pick up on this but you got there first

Bearing in mind the problem only happened going forwards, perhaps it was a demo of why brake hangers go in front of wheels and not behind them.

 

[RichardG]

Now the brakes are off, I have tried out some test trains.

• In its present state, the loco weights 300 grams and will comfortably move 12 kit-built wagons without wheelslip
• If I add some weights to represent the eight batteries and the missing castings, the loco will weigh 400 grams and move 16 wagons. More might be possible, I ran out of track.

This is on a level track through the curved leg of an A6 point.

The Slater's SG-38 gearbox has one pair of helical gears (to take the motor drive through a right angle) and then three pairs of spur gears to make the 38:1 reduction. The controllability of the loco is really good using the MR601c with its factory settings.

I am happy. What I need to do now is to enjoy the loco for a while before tackling the painting.

 

[RichardG]

I have treated myself to a packet of brass clack valves from Connoisseur Models. It is difficult to know where to draw the line, almost every white metal casting has an improved alternative. But these valves come in a packet of eight, so a pair for ‘Quintus’ plus more for other locos.


There are so many detail posts on the progress of ‘Quintus’, here are two photos of the model as now built.



I can just about justify five locos during the 24 years of the railway . . .

No. 1. 'Blackwater', MW class K, used throughout the operation of the line.
No. 2. something ancient and worn out when purchased (possible scratchbuild opportunity)
No. 3. MW old class i (Engine-ious kit to build)
No. 4. 'Heybridge', LB&SCR Terrier bought to replace nos. 2 and 3.
No. 5. 'Quintus', ex-NER class H2, bought when increased Bentall production justified a nearly-new locomotive.

These are the locos belonging to the railway. There are also 'Nellie' and 'Lady Marion' supposedly belonging to the foundry next door; and the Y14 and C53 for through workings from the GER. Given so many locos for a three-mile branch (though not all at the same time!), it is difficult to justify any further locos 'on loan' or 'on trial' as part of the project. Still, I am sure visiting locos will be welcome to run here

'Quintus' gives me a useful end stop to help me to complete the project.

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

I can just about justify five locos during the 24 years of the railway . . .

No. 1. 'Blackwater', MW class K, used throughout the operation of the line.
No. 2. something ancient and worn out when purchased (possible scratchbuild opportunity)
No. 3. MW old class i (Engine-ious kit to build)
No. 4. 'Heybridge', LB&SCR Terrier bought to replace nos. 2 and 3.
No. 5. 'Quintus', ex-NER class H2, bought when increased Bentall production justified a nearly-new locomotive.

These are the locos belonging to the railway. There are also 'Nellie' and 'Lady Marion' supposedly belonging to the foundry next door; and the Y14 and C53 for through workings from the GER. Given so many locos for a three-mile branch (though not all at the same time!), it is difficult to justify any further locos 'on loan' or 'on trial' as part of the project. Still, I am sure visiting locos will be welcome to run here

'Quintus' gives me a useful end stop to help me to complete the project.

Ah Richard! You need to be more creative in your justification. Can you have TOO many locomotives?

My little layout is a very short light railway branch but in my eyes it is just right for locos on test from the works especially as it has a turn table. So Ochiltree sees a lot of engines doing trials and it is fortunate that the local minister, Rev IM Jolly has a camera and the time to use it to record all these interesting movements.

Recently he captured James Mansons experimental 4 cylinder No11 using the table. Alas while she was the first 4 cylinder simple in the UK she wasn't any better than her two cylinder contemporaries.

 

[RichardG]

Can you have TOO many locomotives?

A long time ago I tried to compile a list of my 00 gauge locos from memory. I checked the list against my collection and realised I had missed one out. If I could not remember what I had, it was time to thin things down; and so I sold about three-quarters of them. To my credit, I have only succumbed to one fresh 00 RTR loco in the last four years (since I started in 7mm) and I intend this to be my last. So, I did have too many.

No. 11 is magnificent! I expect you painted it yourself too? I will never be able to use a lining pen as long as I live. Well, only to spoil a model.

I have a constraint on what runs on the Heybridge Railway: its ability to pass across the timber viaducts on the GER Maldon branch at Wickham Bishops. One of these remains as listed structure, the other was backfilled to make an embankment. I don't know what the exact weight restriction was, but I am told a GER R24 could pass (14 tons/axle) while a S56 or C72 (15 tons 2 cwt) needed its tanks to be partly emptied. The Y14 was an easy 13 tons 10 cwt.

From time to time I think of a small layout to be called "Heybridge Loco". This would be located on a spur leaving the branch at Heybridge and heading towards Goldhanger. That is to say, a might-have-been extension of a might-have-been branch. Maybe this depot would have a turntable - I have never worked it through this far. I could suppose, construction of the line to Goldhanger stopped after the first mile. Enough for a short proving line, with rentals bringing in some money for the cash-strapped Heybridge Railway. If Heybridge Loco was a diorama with a dust cover, it would free up space for more wagons in the display cabinet.

I do like your pale blue background. I am still happy enough with my magnolia as it sits in the room, but it does spoil photos. Is this blue paint or a sheet of coloured card or whatever?

 

[Dog Star]

Ian,

What was the valve gear of the Mansons four cylinder engine? Do you have a drawing of the arrangement of the motion?

Rgds, Graham

 

[Northroader]

And another question for Ian, having seen a mention of Ochiltree, is there any more on this layout anywhere?

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

A long time ago I tried to compile a list of my 00 gauge locos from memory. I checked the list against my collection and realised I had missed one out. If I could not remember what I had, it was time to thin things down; and so I sold about three-quarters of them. To my credit, I have only succumbed to one fresh 00 RTR loco in the last four years (since I started in 7mm) and I intend this to be my last. So, I did have too many.

I bought my last rtr model when I was 19, a Hornby Dublo City of london, and my collection now is mostly scratchbuilt with a few kitbuilds. There are around 150ish. Most are now carefully packed in archive boxes with only a few in the display cases in my workshop and dining room. When you put a lot of effort into a model it is difficult parting with it! It is only in the last year or so that I have got them out of a motly collection of boxes and organised them properly. Ikea storage cupboard ideal!

I do like your pale blue background. I am still happy enough with my magnolia as it sits in the room, but it does spoil photos. Is this blue paint or a sheet of coloured card or whatever?

It is actually a piece of blue bedsheet stretched over a frame. I really should add a bit of the background hills.

Ian,

What was the valve gear of the Mansons four cylinder engine? Do you have a drawing of the arrangement of the motion?

Rgds, Graham

No 11 was built at the same time as the 2 cylinder 8 class and shares the same valvegear except that the valve rocker spindle was extended to the outside valve chests. Attached is a copy of the GA which you will see the arrangement. It all works on the model but when she is running you have difficulty seeing the movement. I keep asking myself whether it is worthwhile the effort.

And another question for Ian, having seen a mention of Ochiltree, is there any more on this layout anywhere?

It exists but most of it is just test track and the fiddle yard. The end with the turntable and the bridge to the rest of the world is the only bit with scenery. One day I might finish it.



Enough of highjacking Richards Thread.

Ian.

 

[Dog Star]

Thank you.

 

[RichardG]

I want to build a few scenic models to reduce the count of unbuilt kits in the stash. The idea is to tackle the models I can build in a day or so.

What could be simpler than a modest bench seat to make a start?


This kit from DMR Models looks suitable. A timeless design and nothing to tie it to a specific railway.

There are no instructions and no illustration of the assembled model. More challenging, there is no half-etching to show you where the parts end and the fret begins. Needless to say I got this wrong in one place and had to use a length of shim stock as a replacement for a part I thought was fret during the cutting-out.


For the middle upright, I cut a groove in the underneath of the planks to help me put part in the right place. A few half-etched lines would have helped.


I have ended up with one of those rather uncomfortable seats with a gap in the back.

Those who know Heybridge Basin will understand why the seat goes here, it is sheltered from the blasts of easterly winds.

 

[Alan]

As you know I've sailed many times at Heybridge Basin so I know about easterly winds.

 

[RichardG]

There is a fine walk along the sea wall from the basin back to Heybridge itself. Best done clockwise, so the wind is on your back on the way out and you can return along the towing path, relatively sheltered beside the navigation.

 

[Hayfield1]

The best walk (at the basin) is up the stairs of the pub, a nice pint followed by some good food overlooking the harbour

 

[coal tank]

The engine looks really good Richard.
John

 

[RichardG]

Thanks John.

The model fits into the scene of a light railway very well. I can imagine it providing the core services at a show, alongside the MW 'Lady Marion'. It is impossible to show this here but they do run very well. Radio control makes towing (rope shunting) simple because there are no requirements for clever frog switching.

I would then have the MW 'Blackwater' and the Terrier 'Heybridge' to hand in case of failures or flat batteries; and Nellie to add an occasional distraction.